Appliance for gas-mains.



No. 891,854. PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903.

M. w. OPFUTT. Y

APPLIANCE FOR GAS MAINS.- APPLICATION FILED we. 21, 1907.

Mme/Mom Wiglz em 50" Wfutzf.

THE NORRIS PETERS co., wAsummoN, n. c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

MITOHEM WEBB OFFUTT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPLIANCE FOR GAS-MAINS.

Application filed August 21, 1907.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Mrronmr VVEBB OF- FUTT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have in vented certain new and usefulImprovements in Appliances for Gas-Mains, of which portions of the mainbe closed, as otherwise workmen and others engaged in working in thetrench, which has been dug for obtaining access to the mains, aresubject to danger from asphyxiation and the deleterious effects ofinhaling gas.

In cutting a gas main it is customary to make two openings in its wallupon opposite sides of the place where the cut is to be. There isinserted through the opening far thest away from the place where the cutis to be a device called a gas stopper upon which reliance is had forpreventing the escape of gas. Through the opening nearest the placewhere the cut is to be there is inserted a gas bag upon which littlereliance is had and which is intended to stop the comparatively smallamount of gas which may pass the gas stopper, even when it is properlyadjusted or adjusted as well as was heretofore possible. However, if thegas stopper fails, the gas bag will not hold the pressure and the resultis that gas escapes in large volume into the trench where, in manyinstances, it overcomes the workmen and even asphyxiates them, and if itshould be impossible to stop the flow of gas from the break in the main,it would result in putting the district or town out of gas.

A gas stopper usually comprises a pair of springs hinged together attheir ends and provided with hand rods pivoted to the hinges. Secured tothe springs is a diaphragm and there is usually a leather covering onthe springs. An example of such a device is described in Letters PatentNo. 591,271, dated October 5th, 1897, to P. Goodman. The gas stopper isinserted through one of the openings, as has been described, and itshand rods are then manipulated so as to expand the springs anddiaphragm, which they carry,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1908.

Serial No. 389,454.

into generally circular form in contact with the inner wall of the pipe.Reliance is had upon friction to hold the stopper in place. However, itfrequently happens that the stopper slips by reason of several causes,among which may be mentioned the jarring of the pipe by reason of theblows which it receives during the cutting or other operations, thefalling of clods or lumps of dirt from the trench onto the pipe or ontothe stopper rods which project through the openingmade in the pipe, andthe unstable position of the stopper, which must of necessity be placedin inclined position with its top part nearer to the place where the cutis to bemade than its bottom part. If the stopper were not thus placedit and its operating rods would assume such a position that it could notbe withdrawn from the opening in the wall of the pipe, as is wellunderstood by those skilled in the art.

The principal object of the present inventionis to provide for holdingthe stopper in fixed and immovable position within the pipe,notwithstanding gas pressure and other loosening causes to which it isexposed, thereby guarding the workmen and others on the ob againstdanger from being overcome or asphyxiated.

The best, but not the only, embodiment of the invention now known to meis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is aView principally in section illustrating a stopper embodying features ofthe invention. Fig. 2, is a perspective view illustrating an applianceembodying my invention and adapted for use in connection with thestopper illustrated in Letters Patent No. 591,271, and Fig. 3, is a topor plan view illustrating one of the devices shown in Fig. 1.

According to my invention the stopper is provided with a fasteningdevice for attachment to the pipe and with a rod or stay and there aremeans cooperating with the rod or stay and fastening device whereby thestopper is pressed and firmly held in position.

In the drawings the rods H and I and the stopper D, correspond,generally speaking (although without intending to limit my invention) tothe parts with similar letters shown in said Letters Patent 591,271. 1,is the main or gas pipe in the wall of which are formed openings 2 and3, and 4, indicates the cut.

I have illustrated the arrangement on one side of the cut and that onthe other side is similar to it. The stopper D is put into the pipethrough the 0 ening 3, in generally vertical position and t en broughtinto inclined positlon as shown by means of' the rods H and I in thewell understood manner which is set forth in said Patent No. 591,271.

Having described so much of an old device as is necessary for anunderstanding of my invention, I will now proceed to describe the same.

The particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings isadapted for application to the stopper manufactured in pursuance ofLetters Patent 591,271, without alteration therein and I will proceedwith a description of it.

5, is a fastening device for attachment to the pipe. It is shown as ahook adapted to engage the pipe 1, at the rim of'the opening 3, and itis mounted on a shaft 6, by means of a thread and screw connection. Theshaft 6, is provided with a slidable claw 7, adapted to engage the rodI, or more accurately the handle on the end thereof.

8, is a collar adjustable on the shaft 6 and provided with a set screwfor holding it in lace. The end of the shaft 6 is provided with a handle9. After the stopper D has been adjusted to place manually by means ofthe rods H and I, in the ordinary way, the shaft is arranged in theposition shown and by means of the described adjustmentsand by turningthe shaft 6, if necessary, the top portion of the stopper D is firmlypressed up against the inside of the pipe and is then held fixed andimmovable in that position. This is accomplished because by turning theshaft, the distance between the hook 5 and claw 7 is shortened as muchas may be necessary. Ordinarily it is suflicient to push and hold thetop part of the stopper D, as has been described, because the bottom artof the stopper is unlikely to slip, the friction being sufficient tohold it. However, if desired use may be made of a fastening device forengaging the pipe and holding the bottom part of the stopper. 10, issuch a device and 1t is shown to comprise a plate adapted to overlie theopening 3 and having a notch 11 provided with an 0 en part through whichthe shank of the ro H may be inserted and adjusted and provided with aset screw 12, for engaging the rod H and clamping it in respect to theplate 10 and permitting of its adjustment.

What I claim is.

1. The combination of a gas stopper and device adapted to engage oneside wall of a pipe, and means for exerting pressure be tween the deviceand one point on the rim of the stopper to vary the degree ofinclination of its position, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the top rod of a gas stopper of a fasteningdevice adapted to engage one side wall of a pipe, and means interposedbetween the fastening device and the rod of the stopper for shifting thelatter in respect to the former, substantially as described.

3. In a gas stopper of the inclined variety the combination with the toprod of the stopper, of a fastening device adapted to en gage a pipe, andmeans interposed between the fastenin device and the rod of the stopperfor shifting and holding the latter in inclined position, substantiallyas described.

4. A device for use in connection with gas stoppers comprising a shaftprovided with a hook having screw and thread connection therewith, aclaw movable on said shaft, and a collar adjustable on the shaft andadapted to position the claw, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed myname.

MITOHEM WE B OFFUTT. Witnesses: 7

W. J. JAcKsoN,

FRANK E. FRENCH.

